Props: A tray, a patch of good grass, and a patch of crabgrass (or weed). Try to pull up one whole system of each. Place the grasses side by side in the tray so that they initially look like one system of grass.
Lesson: I have something on this tray. Can anybody tell me what it is? (grass) Is there anything strange about the grass? (response) Look at it closely; do you notice anything odd? (response) If they do not see the difference, move the two clumps apart. Now do you see? (response)
This is the good grass. It's called Bermuda. And this is the bad grass. It's called crabgrass (or weeds). If you go out to your yard today (or the park) and look at the grass, you will probably find some of this grass the Bermuda and some of this grass the crabgrass. Your mom and dad can tell you how terrible this grass is. They have probably spent hours down on their hands and knees trying to pull it up. But it never goes away; it just keeps popping back up. So, how do you think we can get rid of the crabgrass? (response)
There is another problem as well. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between the Bermuda grass and the crabgrass, and if you try to pull up all the crabgrass you might pull up some of the good grass. It would also take too long. There is so much crabgrass in this world, it would take a zillion years to pull it up. So I have a suggestion for you and for your mom and dad: Stop trying. There's too much of it and it will just keep coming back anyway!
Application: That's also true for people. There are so many crabby people and so many crabby things going on in this world it would take a lifetime to get rid of them all. So, let's try not to be crabby grass, something nobody wants; let's try to add something good to the world. Let's try to be the good grass. That's what God wants.
Let's Pray: Lord, help us not to be crabby crabgrass. You want us to be the good grass making the world lush and green, always ready to speak a kind word and offer a helping hand. Amen.
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Proper 11
Romans 8:12--25
A Great Debt
Exegetical Aim: We are debtors to God, but through Christ we are freed.
Props: A $20 bill, a football, a piece of play jewelry, and a sign on which is written "Store."
Lesson: Today I want to play "Going to the Store." I need a volunteer to be the storekeeper. (response) Choose a mature child to handle the store and set up the sign and merchandise beside him/her. Whisper to the shopkeeper that each item costs twenty dollars. Okay, there is the store. Who wants to go shopping? Here's twenty dollars. I'm going to loan this to you to go to the store and buy something. Watch as the volunteer goes to the store and purchases an item. Call the volunteer back over. What did you buy? (response) Hmm. That's nice. I hope you enjoy it. I would like to have my twenty dollars back now. (response) What do you mean you don't have it? (response) I know you purchased something with it, but that's not my problem! (response) You are in debt twenty dollars. Do you know what that means? (response)
If they suggest you get your money from the store keeper: I can't get my money from the storekeeper. It's the storekeeper's twenty--dollar bill now. You're the one who owes me twenty dollars! (response) I didn't say that I was giving it to you. It was simply a loan. How are you going to pay back my twenty dollars? Do you have twenty dollars in your pocket? (response) You owe me now. You're in debt! But, I tell you what I'm going to do. I am going to forgive your debt. You no longer owe me the money. Okay? (response) Allow the storekeeper to stay where he/she is and don't ask for the money back just yet. Have you ever borrowed something and then had to give it back? It's hard to be in debt to someone, especially if you can't pay it back.
Application: Now he borrowed twenty dollars from me and he can't pay it back. He is in debt to me. Did you know that all of us are in debt. We are all in debt to God and the problem is that none of us can pay back what we owe him. God didn't give us twenty dollars but he did give us ... what? (response) He has given us life and none of us do what we're supposed to do with it. We owe God our lives and we don't give him that. So how are we going to pay God what we owe him? (response) I have some good news. Someone has already paid your debt. Jesus Christ paid your debt. He gave his life for us. That's what the church is all about. God has forgiven us our debt.
Let's Pray: Lord, we owe you a lot more than twenty dollars. We owe more than we could ever repay. We thank you that your Son Jesus gave his life and paid our debt. Amen.
If the storekeeper starts to walk off with the money, allow him to get a few steps away, then call him back and say, "You really are in debt to me."
